Combined pressure gauge-relief valve



Oct. 21, 1969 c. TATUM 3,473,563

COMBINED PRESSURE GAUGE-RELIEF VALVE Filed Nov. 28, 1967 6 Fig. 2

Fig. 3

3a 34 40 Clifton L. Tatum INVENTOR. E BY 46 g 3 aadyawyzf% United States Patent 3,473,563 COMBINED PRESSURE GAUGE-RELHEF VALVE Clifton lL. Tatum, 19 Nielson Ave, Stillwater, N.Y. 12170 Filed Nov. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 686,066 Int. Cl. F161: 39/00; G011 7/04 US. Cl. 137557 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISLOSURE A combined fluid pressure indicating and relief device adapted to simultaneously indicate the pressure of and facilitate the control of a fluid under pressure within a conduit, such as the discharge outlet of a positive displacement pump for example, and wherein the pressure relieving means may be readily adjusted to selectively vary the pressure within the conduit with which the combined device is associated.

The present invention relates to combined devices adapted to simultaneously indicate and control the pressure of a fluid within a confining means, such as a conduit, pressure vessel, and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a combined pressure indicating gauge-pressure relief valve means. More specifically, the present invention relates to a Bourdon-type fluid pressure indicating gauge combined with an inletvent valve means to facilitate selectively controlling the pressure within a fluid pressure handling system in response to actuation of the fluid pressure indicating gauge.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel construction for a combined fluid pressure gauge and fluid inlet-vent valve wherein the valve is actuated in response to the antielastic deformation of a Bourdon tube comprising a portion of the pressure gauge.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction for a combined fluid pressure indicating gauge and air bleed valve wherein a fluid pressure responsive Bourdon tube, subject to antielastic deformation under the influence of fluid pressure applied thereto, has operatively positioned relative thereto a spring-biased normally closed air bleed valve member operatively interposed in the path of the Bourdon tube so as to be actuated thereby in response to antielastic deformation of the Bourdon tube.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction for a combined fluid pressure gauge and fluid inlet-vent valve whereby the valve is associated with the inlet of a pump to reduce the output of the pump by admitting air into the intake thereof in response to a predetermined maximum discharge pressure developed by the pump.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction for a combined fluid pressure gauge and fluid inlet-vent valve of the foregoing type wherein the valve is adjustably mounted relative to the Bourdon tube whereby the valve may be readily set to be opened at a predetermined pressure within the normal operating range of the pressure gauge.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a combined fluid pressure gauge and fluid inletvent valve of simplified construction. These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a fluid handling system incorporating an exemplary embodi- "ice ment of a combined fluid pressure gauge-valve constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the exemplary combined pressure gauge-valve illustrated in FIGURE 1 with a vertical sectional showing of portions of the gauge and valve to illustrate certain interior details thereof; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged medial longitudinal crosssectional view of an exemplary valve utilized in constructing the exemplary combined pressure gauge-valve illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and FIGURES 2 and 3 in particular, it will be seen that a combined fluid pressure gauge and fluid inlet-vent valve assembly indicated generally at comprises a nipple 12 having a fluid pressure passageway indicated at 14, in phantom lines, for connection to a fluid pressure system in an exemplary manner which will be described hereinafter. The nipple 12 is provided with a Bourdon tube 16 of conventional construction, such as comprising a tube of flattened cross-sectional configuration in the form of a segment of a circle and having one end in fluid communication with the fluid pressure passageway 14 and the distal end sealed. As is well known in the gauge art, the Bourdon tube 16 is subject to antielastic deformation, under the influence of a pressure change in the fluid pressure passageway 14 whereby under the influence of a pressure increase, the Bourdon tube 16 would tend to be deformed from the full line to the phantom line position, seen in FIGURE 2, due to the increased pressure tending to partially straighten out the arcuate Bourdon tube. The gauge assembly 10 is further provided, in a conventional manner, with a mechanical indicator means shown generally at 20 to translate the movement of the Bourdon tube 16 to a rotary motion as required by the indicator pointer 22 which cooperates with the pressure scale 24 to give a visual indication of the pressure in the fluid pressure passageway 14. A fluid pressure gauge housing indicated generally at 26 encloses the pressure indicating means comprising the nipple 12, Bourdon tube 16 and indicator portions 20, 22 and 24.

The gauge housing 26 includes a sidewall 28 having an aperture 30 therein, in general radial alignment with the apex of the Bourdon tube 16. A spring-biased normally closed fluid intake-vent valve means indicated at 32 is carried by the housing means 26 by being adjustably received within the through aperture 30. Referring now to FIG- URE 3, it will be seen that the valve means 32 includes a body portion 34 having a stepped passage 36 extending therethrough. The valve body portion 34 is externally threaded as at 38 and 40 to facilitate adjustably securing the body portion 40 to the housing means 26 and a fluid conduit 42 respectively for purposes which will become apparent hereinafter. The valve means 32 includes a spring-biased normally closed valve element indicated at 44 and including a longitudinally movable operator stem 46 provided with a valve element 48 which cooperates with a valve seat 50 to normally preclude the movement of fluid through the passage 36. It will be appreciated that the spring-biased normally closed valve means 44 is of the type conventionally utilized in the inflation stems of pneumatic tires and the like. Referring again to FIGURE 2 it will be seen that the valve means 32 is adjustably secured within the aperture 30 by means of threaded nuts 52 received on the threaded portion 38 of the valve body 34 which nuts 52 are compressed against the side wall 28 of the gauge housing means 26. If desired, the innermost nut 52 may be secured to the side wall 28, such as by welding for example or alternatively may comprise a tapped boss integral with the side wall 28. In order to facilitate adjustment of the valve body portion 40 it is provided with a flat sided portion 54 to readily permit 3.3 rotation of the body portion 34 by a wrench or the like. From the foregoing it will be apparent that rotation of the body member 34 will effect longitudinal movement thereof thus eflectively adjusting the relative distance between the valve operating stem 46 and the Bourdon tube 16. Accordingly, it will be seen that the foregoing adjustment means may be advantageously utilized to selectively vary the pressure at which the Bourdon tube 16 physically contacts the valve operated stem 46 urging it open against the bias of its spring, not shown, to permit fluid to inlet or vent through the passage 36.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 it will be seen that the combined pressure gauge valve means 10' is operatively positioned in a portion of a fluid handling system comprising a pump means indicated generally at 60 provided with an inlet suction conduit 62 and an outlet pressure conduit 64. The gauge assembly 10 and more particularly the nipple 12 is received in a suitable T-fitting 66 so as to place the fluid pressure passageway 14 in communication with the interior of the pump outlet conduit 64. The conduit 42, connected to the externally threaded end 40 of the valve body 34 operatively connects the spring-biased normally closed valve means 32 with the suction inlet conduit 62. Although not indicated heretofore it will be understood that the housing means 26 of the gauge assembly 10 is of an unsealed type and may also, if desired, be provided with a vent aperture. At any rate, it will be understood that fluid, and specifically air, is free to pass in adequate volume through the housing 26 and through the passageway 36 of the valve means 32 when the valve element 44 is biased open.

Thus, it will be appreciated that in the operative relationship illustrated in FIGURE 1 the valve means 32 is adjusted relative to the Bourdon tube, as desired, so as to cause the Bourdon tube to contact and open the valve stem 46 at a predetermined pressure. With this in mind it will be thus understood that as the pump means 60 discharges fiuid under pressure through the conduit 64 the pressure will be transmitted through the passageway 14 to the Bourdon tube 16 tending to straighten it out, i.e. cause antielastic deformation of the Bourdon tube 16, whereby the Bourdon tube 16 will, for example, assume the phantom line position shown in FIGURE 2 so as to move the valve stem 46 against the bias of its associated spring to permit air to be drawn through the housing 26, passageway 36, conduit 42 into the suction conduit 62 of the pump 50 as to, for example, elfectively control the output of the pump means 60.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A combined fluid pressure gauge and fluid inlet-vent valve comprising a nipple having a fluid pressure passageway therein for connection to a fluid pressure system, pressure indicating means actuated by the fluid pressure in said passageway, a housing means for said nipple and said pressure indicating means, a spring-biased normally closed fluid inlet-vent valve means carried by said housing, said fluid inlet-vent valve means being in generally non-fluid communication with said fluid pressure passageway, said fluid inlet-vent valve means being operatively positioned to be actuated by said pressure indicating means in response to a predetermined pressure within said fluid pressure passageway to inlet and vent fluid to and from another portion of a fluid pressure system with which said combined gauge-valve is associated.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said fluid inletvent valve means comprises an air vent valve adapted to introduce air into a suction inlet conduit associated with a pump means in response to the sensing of a predetermined pressure in an outlet conduit of a pump means through said fluid pressure passageway.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said pressure indicating means includes a Bourdon tube actuated V the fluid pressure in said passageway, and wherein said normally closed fluid inlet-vent valve means is opened in response to antielastic deformation of said Bourdon tube.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said fluid inletvent valve means includes an adjustably mounting means for operatively positioning said fluid inlet-vent valve means on said housing means to selectively vary the pressure at which said Bourdon tube opens said fluid inletvent valve means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said fluid inletvent valve comprises an externally threaded body portion having a through bore, a spring-biased normally closed valve element interposed in said through bore, said valve element including a valve operator stem adapted to be operated by said Bourdon tube, and said adjustable mounting means including threaded fastener means threadably and adjustably receiving said threaded valve body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1936 Kollsman 73-411 3/1944 De Giers 137557 XR US. Cl. X.R. 734ll 

